ॐ साई राम
The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings.
Source : Adhyatmik Sangita
Shivani went to her mailbox and there was only one letter. She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address.
She read the letter:
“Dear Shivani: I’m going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I'd like to stop by for a visit.
Love Always, Lord Ram”
Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table.
"Why would the Lord want to visit me? I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer."
With that thought, Shivani remembered her empty kitchen cabinets.
"Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner."
She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. One hundred and seventy rupees.
"Well, I can get some bread and vegetables, at least."
She threw on her coat and hurried out the door. A loaf of bread, various vegetables, and a carton of milk, leaving Shivani with grand total of thirty rupees to last her until Monday. Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.
"Hey lady, can you help us, lady?"
Shivani had been so absorbed in her dinner plans; she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway. A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags.
"Look lady, I ain't got a job, you know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it's getting cold and we're getting kind of hungry and, well, if you could help us. Lady, we’d really appreciate it."
Shivani looked at them both. They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to.
"Bhai ji, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a few vegetables, some bread and milk and I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him."
"Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway."
The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley. As she watched them leave, Shivani felt a familiar twinge in her heart.
"Bhai ji, wait!"
The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them.
"Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest."
She handed the man her grocery bag.
"Thank you lady. Thank you very much!" "Yes, thank you!"
It was the man's wife, and Shivani could see now that she was shivering.
"You know, I've got another coat at home. Here, why don't you take this one.”
Shivani unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders. Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street...without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest.
"Thank you lady! Thank you very much!"
Shivani was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too. The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him.
She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox.
"That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day."
She took the envelope out of the box and opened it.
She read the letter:
“Dear Shivani: It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat.
Love Always Lord Ram”
The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Shivani no longer felt the cold. A thrill ran through her entire being and her eyes were filled with tears of joy.